Therethenameofthewidowwas，unquestionably；figuringforthesecondtimeintype，inaletterofthegossipingsort，suppliedbyan“OccasionalCorrespondent，“anddistinguishedbythetitleof“SayingsandDoingsintheNorth。“Aftertattlingpleasantlyoftheprospectsoftheshootingseason，ofthefashionsfromParis，ofanaccidenttoatourist，andofascandalintheScottishKirk，thewriterproceededtothenarrativeofacaseofinterest，relatingtoamarriageinthesphereknowninthelanguageoffootmenasthesphereof“highlife。“
ConsiderablesensationthecorrespondentannouncedhadbeencausedinPerthanditsneighborhood，bytheexposureofananonymousattemptatextortion，ofwhichaladyofdistinctionhadlatelybeenmadetheobject。Ashernamehadalreadybeenpubliclymentionedinanapplicationtothemagistrates，therecouldbenoimproprietyinstatingthattheladyinquestionwasMrs。Glenarm——whoseapproachingunionwiththeHonorableGeoffreyDelamaynwasalludedtoinanothercolumnofthejournal。
Mrs。Glenarmhad，itappeared，receivedananonymousletter，onthefirstdayofherarrivalasguestatthehouseofafriend，residingintheneighborhoodofPerth。Theletterwarnedherthattherewasanobstacle，ofwhichshewasherselfprobablynotaware，inthewayofherprojectedmarriagewithMr。GeoffreyDelamayn。Thatgentlemanhadseriouslycompromisedhimselfwithanotherlady；andtheladywouldopposehismarriagetoMrs。
Glenarm，withproofinwritingtoproduceinsupportofherclaim。Theproofwascontainedintwolettersexchangedbetweentheparties，andsignedbytheirnames；andthecorrespondencewasplacedatMrs。Glenarm’sdisposal，ontwoconditions，asfollows：
First，thatsheshouldofferasufficientlyliberalpricetoinducethepresentpossessoroftheletterstopartwiththem。